Mystic Topaz
by ac-the-brain-supreme
Summary: While hiding out in Mexico, Nathan may compromise his and his nowhelpless brother's safety by bringing a local woman into their delicate equation. ::Placed between seasons 1 and 2::
1. Chapter 1

_Hello! My name is A.C. and this is my first Heroes fanfiction! Whee! I'm so excited! (bounces around the room.) _

_Maybe I shouldn't do that. The fan in this room is pretty low. (sweatdrop)_

_Well, the only thing about this chapter I really need to say is that most of this is in Spanish. And it's probably not very good Spanish. I used a translator since I have no idea how to speak Spanish whatsoever, so the only problem could be the grammar. So, if you see italicized words in quotes, that's just Spanish. Italicized words that don't have quote marks around them are thoughts. Okay? Okay. _

_Start the ficcie!_

**ac-the-brain-supreme does not own Heroes. That is because AC is not Tim Kring. If she was Tim Kring, she would call herself TK instead of AC. **

* * *

The small bazaar bustled in the bright sun of the Saturday afternoon. Children ran around in light, loose clothes. The mothers of the children called for them to return and when the naughty children refused to return, the mothers ran after them, threatening to tell their fathers about their badness. Street vendors cried out. _"¡Pescados, pescados¡Pescados frescos y salados!" "¡Carne de vaca fresca¡Oferta, inclinación, carne de vaca jugosa!" "La fruta más dulce alrededor. Manzanas, mangos, naranjas. Tenemos limones y cales también."_

A young woman with a knee-length pink dress, brown leather sandals, and caramel skin was at the stand where the vendor was shouting about necklaces from the stores in New York. The woman picked up a silver chain. On the end was a stone that had every color of the rainbow. The girl's eyes widened. _"Tan hermoso"_ she whispered. She clutched the chain to her chest. _"¿Decirme, qué es esta piedra?"_

The vendor, a smooth-talking man from Mexico City, took the cigarette he had between his teeth and let out a slow, long pale cloud of smoke._"Eso es un topaz mystical."_ The man took another drag and released it slowly._"Solamente...collar que tengo con una de esas piedras. Va tan a costarte."_

The girl's eyes lit up. She was done her grocery shopping and she had earned a lot more money than she normally did at work. She leaned foreward. A man stepped up next to her as she asked, _"¿Cuánto?"_

The vendor rubbed his chin. He looked at the girl, then down at the necklace. "_La cosa es, joyería mítica del topaz es algunos de mis artículos más populares."_ The vendor rolled his hand in the air. _"Aquél allí va a ser sobre...mmm...ciento y ochenta Pesos."_ The woman's smile quickly dissappeared. The vendor smiled like a lioness ready to strike the gazel. "_Aungue, podría dejarlo estar libre si estás dispuesto a hacer algo para mí"_

The man that had walked up next to the woman with the necklace mumbled something. It was something in a foreign language, but nothing that the vendor hadn't heard of before. The vendor turned to the man with a death light in his eyes. "What do you want, _turista_?"

The man, who had pale skin so he would have easily been labeled a _turista_ by anyone walking down the street, smirked. He stuck a hand in his pocket and pulled out a nice, dark, fancy leather wallet. The woman stared in shock as the white man pulled out a few hundred _Pesos_ and laid them on the splintery wood of the stall. "_Ciento y ochenta Pesos_, just like you wanted."

The vendor gave the _turista _a heavy glare. He took the money and quickly checked the bills. A flash of disbelief crossed the vendor's face. He flipped through the bills again, just to be sure about what he had just counted. The vendor looked up at the white man, eyes full of hatred. "Thank you for your purchase" he said through gritted teeth.

The man nodded at the vendor. "_Gracias por tales mercanc__ías hermosas."_ The man walked away, stuffing the wallet back into his pocket. The girl watched as the man left. She shook her head once the shock left her. She needed to thank the _turista_. She ran after the white man.

"_¡Excusarme!"_ the girl shouted. The white man stopped walking and turned back to her. The girl came to a stop. She was about to speak, but stopped. The man she was looking at was older than she had expected. He wasn't incredibly old, like some of the men in the tiny farm village, but old enough to have a family. No doubt he was some rich man from America. Maybe even a celebrity wanting to get away from the Hollywood town that the woman had heard so much about. But even with his age, he was still a very handsome man. His eyes were strong and had an intense light to them. His hair was covered by a large hat and he looked like he hadn't shaved in a while, so a shadow of a beard covered his chin.

"_¿Sí?"_ the _turista_ insisted.

The yound woman caught herself. She took a deep breath, then held out her hand. "My name is Luisa." The man looked at the young woman's delicate hand, then smiled. He took her hand. "My name is Adrian."

Luisa giggled. "Adrian is a _chica's_ name."

"It can be a boy's name too." Luisa pushed some hair behind her ear. She held up the necklace. "_Gracias_ for the necklace. I never would have bought it without _tú"_

Adrian shrugged. "I just didn't like the way that guy was speaking to you." Adrian turned and began to walk away. "_Adiós_ Luisa."

Luisa froze for a moment. She ran up to Adrian and walked by his side. "Is there anything I can do to _compensarte_?"

Adrian shook his head. "No."

Luisa scowled. "Would you like to come to my _casa para la cena_?"

Adrian shook his head again. "No _gracias_."

Luisa was starting to get a little frustrated. "I have to pay you back!"

Adrian stopped walking. He turned to Luisa, his dark eyes giving her an intense stare. "You don't _have_ to do anything. Especially not repay me."

Luisa stared at Adrian. Anyone could see that her hand was shaking, though. "Then I _want_ to repay you." Luisa's look softened. "_¿Por favor?"_

Adrian sighed. He looked around. He placed a hand on Luisa's shoulder. He leaned in close. "If you are serious about repaying me, then I'll let you. But what you see you must not speak of in front of others."

Luisa's stomach twisted. As Adrian slipped Luisa a piece of paper, she began to wonder who this man really was. If what he wanted her to do was so secret, then he was a man of great importance. Or great power. Luisa decided it was the latter.

**In Mexico**

The house he walked into on the outskirts of nowhere was made of four rooms on the first level and two on the second. The house was rickety and looking like it was ready to fall down. It had been easy to buy from the old owners, which made him very happy and relieved.

The man took off his hat and threw it onto the ratty sofa that sat in front of the fourty-year-old television. The man stared at the room. He sighed. This was going to be hard to get used to. He just hoped that his letter would get back home and read by the right person before he died in this hell hole.

"Hello?" The man's head jerked to the stairs. "Hello?" His heart started to beat faster than lightning. He ran up the stairs, shaking the house as he did. The man heard shuffling in one of the upstairs rooms. He stopped and slowed himself down before opening the door. If he had just barged in there, the person would have completely reverted to the way they had been weeks ago.

The person in there was slight and pale. He was young and had dark, long hair. His eyes were large and fearful, but soon began to shrink and became relieved. "Nathan" he whispered. The man sighed and leaned against the bed he was curled against. A leg unraveled and laid itself flat. The young man smiled and laughed. "I was worried you were one of the bad people."

Nathan shook his head. "No. The bad people will never find us here." Nathan walked over and sat next to the other man. Quickly, the young man crawled and sat in Nathan's lap. The younger man started to pick at the shirt Nathan was wearing, looking at it with a innocent fascination. Nathan smiled, but the smile never reached his eyes. His smiles never did these days.

Nathan rubbed the younger man's back. "Hey, Peter."

The younger man responded, "Yes Nathan?"

"There is going to be a girl coming by soon."

Peter stopped playing with Nathan's shirt. He slowly met Nathan's eyes. Nathan felt his heart wrench in a painful way. "Is...Is this girl _bad_ Nathan?"

Nathan bit his tongue, sure that if he answered verbally, he would start crying. Instead, Nathan shook his head. Peter sighed and relaxed. He went back to playing with the extremely interesting shirt Nathan was wearing. Nathan held Peter close to him.

* * *

Yes. In my infinite pools of originality, I made Nathan's pseudonym Adrian. XD

Well...that was chapter one. I'm going to try to make this five chapters since I want it done by the start of season two. (I say that but it's not gonna happen.)


	2. Chapter 2

_Hello fellow Heroes fans! How are you all doing? I, personally, am doing quite well. I am talking on the phone with my boyfriend right now. Let's see if he has anything to say! _

_me: Hey Cody, do you have anything to say to the world of fanfiction?_

_CODY: uhhhh...hey_

_a man of many words, my boyfriend is!_

**ac-the-brain-supreme does not own Heroes. It belongs to Tim Kring and NBC Universal. She does own some of the nifty Heroes pins, though! And that's good enough for her!**

* * *

Luisa played with the rice and beans that her mother had cooked for the family that night for dinner. Saturday dinners were always very simple. But Luisa liked simple. Simple had been her way of life for as long as she could remember. Simple was the code she lived by. Simple was the law of the universe. Simple was the unheard question Luisa's father had asked her. "_Apesadumbrado, Papa. No escuchaba. ¿Qué dijiste?_"

Luisa's father smiled. He asked the question again. "_¿De dónde conseguiste ese collar hermoso?"_

Luisa's mother pipped in. "_Sí. Algo similar deben costar muchos de dinero."_

Luisa couldn't help the blush that spread up her neck and colored her face. She fingered the mystic topaz that hung right above her breasts. "_Lo encontré en una de las paradas esta mañana mientras que hacía compras._" Luisa's blush and expression softened. "_Este hombre agradable la compró para mí._"

The dining room fell silent. Luisa had an odd feeling that she had said something wrong. Luisa fiddled with the stone on the end of the chain. Luisa's father had another spoonful of the dinner before asking another question. "_¿Quién era este hombre¿El quién había comprado ese collar para ti?_"

Luisa blinked. Adrian had said that she shouldn't speak of anything she saw...but that was only after she had repayed him. Surely he wouldn't mind Luisa telling her parents a little bit of the man that gave her such a wonderful gift. "_Él era un turista nombrado Adrian. El vendedor molestaba yo, y Adrian intensificado y pagado el collar._"

Luisa's mother took a sip of water. "_Vas a compensar a este hombre, Luisa_." That wasn't a question. That was a command.

Luisa nodded. "_Sí, Mama. Soy reunión él mañana por la tarde_."

Luisa's parents glanced at each other. They turned their heads downwards and began to eat again. "_Muy bueno, querido_." Luisa's father said. Luisa smiled, suddenly finding the appetite she had lost right before the dinner had started.

**In Mexico**

Nathan dipped a towel in a bowl of cool water. He wrung some of it out before wiping his face and the tips of his hair. Peter had gotten bored at dinner and started flinging food. Again. Peter had gotten so out of control that Nathan had to yell at him, even grab Peter by his arm. Peter had stopped, as anyone with the mind of a five-year-old might have done. But Nathan had also scared Peter, which was an absolute no-no considering how bad a state Peter's mind was in.

Nathan pulled out a small mirror that he had been given during the speech tours he had to go on when he had been running for Congressman. Nathan tipped his head back. God, everything had gone bad after he won that election. And that cold-hearted bitch of a mother he had didn't make things any better.

Nathan pushed his fingers through his hair. What kind of mother would willingly let her son blow up? Did she even know? Nathan guessed that she didn't. Though, Angela Petrelli was a mysterious and conniving woman. Nathan stood up and walked to the stairs. He stood silently in the open doorway of Peter's room. On the old, dirty mattress, under the ripped sheets, was a large, breathing lump. Nathan leaned against the door post.

After having two children, and taking care of his wife early after the accident, Nathan was pretty good at taking care of others. But his wife was a grown woman, quickly learning to become accustomed to the wheelchair that became her new legs. And with his sons, Nathan had the help of his family. But this...this was out of his hands.

Nathan had thought about how he could keep Peter a secret since that Luisa girl was coming. Nathan could always lock Peter's room when he wasn't around, but how would Peter react to that? Nathan could find a new place to hide Peter. No, moving too much would upset the young man. Besides, that could risk being seen and their location being found out. Nathan sighed. He really had no other choice but to reveal Peter to Luisa.

Nathan looked into the room, at his brother. His frown lines were probably at their worst at that moment, after so many days doing nothing but frowning. Nathan got up and stood straight. The super-powered man was ready to go back downstairs and fall asleep on the couch when he heard his name. "Nathan." Nathan turned around, eyes wide. Peter was awake, lying on his side on the bed. Nathan's heart began to thump against his rib cage. Peter sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Nathan, are you there?"

Nathan took a few steps into the room. "Yeah, Peter. I'm here." Nathan felt his heart rise. Peter was looking...normal. Maybe he had finally broken from that mental slump? Maybe he was good old Peter again? If that was the case, he and Peter could get out of there. They could leave that night if Peter was acting like himself.

When Nathan was within reach, Peter lifted his hand. Nathan stopped breathing.

Peter's fingers went to Nathan's shirt like they were opposing magnets. They started picking and rubbing the little piece of cloth. Peter looked away. "I'm sorry I was so bad at dinner" Peter said softly.

Nathan felt great amounts of pressure--and hope--leave his shoulders. Nathan's eyes slid to a corner where a board was sticking up. Nathan wrapped his arms around Peter. He placed his chin on top of Peter's head. "It's alright" Nathan said, hearing his voice break just a little bit.

**In Mexico**

Luisa was running in her Sunday best. Her feet were becoming dusty as they pounded into the rocky, dirty ground. The streets were pretty empty since Sunday morning meant Church. That was actually where Luisa was coming from. As soon as Church was dismissed, Luisa left her parents and friends there and ran down the streets.

Luisa looked at her cheap watch. Luisa growled. Great, it had stopped working. The Mexican woman just wished that she wasn't late.

Luisa looked up and saw a man with a large hat and light, baggy clothes. Luisa started to slow her running, finally stopping by the man she was meant to meet that day. "_Hola, señor Adrian."_ Adrian's eyes looked down on the young woman. They closed and Adrian bowed his head. "You're late."

Luisa felt anger flare. She didn't let it show. Instead, she smiled brightly and said, "I was in Church."

Adrian looked at Luisa, something frightening in his eyes. "I don't want to hear excuses or reasons for tardiness." Luisa's cheeks turned red. "I just want you to be here when I ask you to be here." Adrian looked into the land before them. "Be glad it's your first day, or else I would have left you behind."

Luisa felt completely stumped. She stood where she was for a moment before finally finding the power to move. The young woman couldn't believe this cold man was the same man that the day before was so generous to her. Luisa looked at the ground. She couldn't let this deter her. Just because he wasn't in the same mood didn't mean he wasn't still the kind person who had helped her.

The long walk to the little shack house that Luisa couldn't believe the man lived in was silent and hot. The sun was at it's pinnacle and Luisa hadn't imagined how hot it would be. Even though she lived in a climate that supported extreme heat and little relief from it, she was normally warned before treking long stretches of nothing. Luisa focused her eyes on Adrian's broad shoulders. They were tanned and shining. The back of his shirt, which was white, was almost see through and expressed the movements of the muscles in his back. Luisa ran her fingers through her hair, moving her bangs back so that they don't bother her hot forehead.

Luisa didn't know how long exactly they had been walking, but she guessed around a half hour when she finally stepped into the little house. Thankfully, there was a running fan in the house that kept it about five degrees cooler inside than it was outside. Luisa couldn't help but to sigh. Adrian took his hat off and tossed it onto the ratty couch. Luisa saw his short brown hair shimmer with sweat.

"Okay," Adrian began, running a hand through his hair and sticking the other in a pocket on his hip, "what I want you to do is come here everyday and do a little cleaning and cooking while I'm out. You can leave once I return."

Luisa nodded. Adrian beckoned her to follow him. "Obviously, this is the living room. This next room is the kitchen-slash-dinning room. No one really eats in here though. The dishes are in that cabinet and the refrigerator is refilled weekly. That door right there is the bathroom. There is another one upstairs, sort of. It's a wash room with a basin. That one right there is where the toilet is." Adrian walked back to the living room. Luisa followed. Adrian turned and walked up the stairs.

Luisa found him on the landing, staring at her with the intense eyes that she was beginning to fear. Luisa folded her hands and sat them on her skirt, waiting for the instructions she knew were coming. Adrian stepped closer to her. Luisa's eyes widened as Adrian's forehead nearly touched hers. Her heart fluttered like a bird's wings. Her breathing stalled and her hands were shaking.

"Remember what I told you yesterday?" Adrian asked.

Luisa nodded. "Whatever I see here I should never tell to anyone."

Adrian nodded. He turned around and walked to one of the two doors that lead to some other room on the second floor. "This next part is what you should be quiet about." Adrian turned to Luisa. "I'm serious when I say I'll kill you if you tell anyone about what you see in this room." Luisa felt all color drain from her face and neck. Adrian opened the door slowly, the rusty hinges creaking loudly in protest.

Luisa had expected a room full of drugs or weapons or a hundred whores, instead she saw a nearly bare room. There was a dresser, a bed, and someone in the bed. Adrian walked into the room, holding his hand out, indicating that she should stay there. Adrian approached the bed and kneeled by the mattress. He rubbed the lump in the bed, making it stir. The lump in the sheets moved some more, resulting in the sheet that was covering it to fall away.

Luisa held her breath. The man that was in that bed was probably the most handsome person she had ever seen. His skin was untainted by the sun and his hair was darker than the night. His face was lax and the sleepiness that still remained in his eyes made them glitter. Luisa felt her face heat up, not only because of the man but by the new thought of Adrian being a human trafficker.

Luisa heard soft words come from Adrian. He was coaxing the man in the bed awake and trying to get him to stop playing with the shirt he was wearing. Finally, Adrian turned to Luisa and beckoned her over. Luisa followed orders and kneeled by Adrian. The man in the bed blinked owlishly at her. The hand that had been playing with the shirt left and touched Luisa's hair. "Luisa," Adrian introduced, "this is my brother, Peter. Peter, this is Luisa, the lady I told you about."

Peter smiled. He began to run his fingers through Luisa's hair. "You are a very pretty lady." Luisa blushed. She bowed her head. "_Mucho gracias_, Peter."

Peter began to giggle. He started playing with Luisa's hair with both his hands. "Why do you speak weird. Can't you talk normal?"

"Peter!" Peter drew his hands back to himself and stared at his brother. "That was not a nice thing to say. Tell her you're sorry."

Peter nodded his head, obviously frightened. He turned back to Luisa. "I'm sorry Miss Luisa."

Luisa nodded. "It...it's okay. A lot of _turistas_ prefer me to speak in _Inglés_."

"It was still something that he shouldn't have said. And something he will never say again." Adrian gave Peter a pointed stare. Peter looked at the floor and nodded slowly. Adrian stood up. He turned to Luisa and asked her to follow him. Luisa obeyed.

The two of them ended up at the top of the stairs. Adrian drew Luisa closer to him. "Please, don't get too angry at Peter when he says things like that or does anything you may find objectionable. He..." Adrian grips the railing as he searches for the right word, "he's not really right. He had an accident and he's been like that since."

Luisa nods. "It's fine. Really. I've met people with problems before."

Adrian looks at her for a moment. He nods. "Okay." Adrian stood up straight. "I'm going to be going out to town for an hour or so."

Luisa followed him down the stairs. "Is there anything I should know. His favorite foods? What you want me to do around the house?"

"I told you want I want you to do around the house." Adrian paused after putting on his hat. "Actually, I should warn you that Peter likes to play with clothes."

Luisa nodded. "I've noticed that."

* * *

_Chapter two down! Hopefully just three more to go! See ya guys!_


	3. Chapter 3

_Hey guys! I'm back. And with a really long chapter! Seriously, pre-edit there was over 6200 words! HAHA! _

_Anyway, someone asked if I could put Spanish translations somewhere in the chapter. I figured it would be too much trouble since there is so much, so I just translated it directly in the chapter. Or at least put the jist of what people are saying in there. The important stuff, y'know. And this is probably the last chapter to have Spanish in it, so you guys can not worry about it as much or at all after this._

_Well, that's it really. Enjoy! I'm gonna play video games now! Yay Kingdom Hearts!_

**ac-the-brain-supreme does not own Heroes. Nor does she own Kingdom Hearts. They belong to NBC Universal and Square Enix-Disney, respectively.**

* * *

Mohinder flipped through the junk mail and bills that came after him every day in the mailbox. With a small sneer of annoyance and a distasteful groan at the base of his throat, Mohinder came face-to-face with the last thing he needed that day: a summons to family court. Mohinder pressed the envelope to his forehead. Great. Standing in front of a judge claiming he was a good enough father for a little girl with a mysterious disease. Again. Especially when Molly's prejudiced grandparents had their prejudiced lawyer who backed their biased opinions. The grandparents were prejudiced against anyone threatening to take away their granddaughter, which Mohinder could respect. The lawyer was prejudiced against anyone who was not born in America.

Mohinder caught Molly sleeping on the couch. She was curled up in her sleeping fetil position, a blanket cocooned around her. Mohinder sat at her feet, smiling warmly at the young girl. He reached over and moved some of her soft amber hair out of her face and tucked it behind the delicate shell of her ear. Molly's eye twitched, but nothing else was disturbed by the small act. Mohinder put the summons to the side. He'd deal with that later, when the time came.

The envelope after that had several stamps on it caused the Indian man some confusion. The return address said "Mexico". Mohinder's eyebrow perked up. He pulled a nail file out of his pocket and pried it under the flap in the back. The paper ripped and Mohinder pulled out the thrice folded paper that was held inside. He unfolded it and flatted it on his knees.

Mohinder's eyes widened. He leaned forward. "I can't believe it" Mohinder whispered. He ran a hand down his face. "I can't believe it. They're alive."

There was a small noise next to Mohinder. The geneticist turned to the girl he hoped to adopt. She stirred, turning her head to look up at him. Molly's eyes fluttered open with the delicacy of a butterfly. Mohinder leaned over and ran his fingers through Molly's hair. "How was your nap?"

"Mmm" Molly managed to "say". She nearly flung her body into an upwards position. Though she did become verticle for a brief moment, Molly soon made herself a pillow out of Mohinder's upper arm. Good thing it was comfortable. Mohinder pulled her next to him and let Molly lean fully on his side. "What can't you believe?"

Mohinder looked at the letter, trying to figure out what to say. "In the mail, I got a letter."

"Was it another one of those letter that says we have to go to that boring court room with the old judge who smells like kippers?"

Mohinder began laughing. He squeezed Molly closer, causing her to break out in her own fit of giggles. Mohinder laid his head on hers. "No. It's a letter from a friend. A friend I didn't expect to be alive."

"Was he hurt by the Boogeyman?"

Mohinder paused. "More or less. The Boogeyman _tired _to hurt him, and the Boogeyman was indirectly a cause of his being hurt, but there was another reason I thought he was dead." Molly grunted. She buried her head into Mohinder's side, almost as if she was trying to find a stitch in Mohinder's side that would let her become part of him. Mohinder read the rest of the letter in silence. He dropped his eyes to the couch. Mohinder rubbed Molly's back. Molly looked up. "Do you want to visit Micah and Ms. Sanders for a little while?"

Molly's eyes brightened. Then it faded back to it's regular level of brightness. "But didn't he go back to Las Vegas?"

Mohinder nodded. "Yes. So that means you're going to Las Vegas."

Molly squeezed Mohinder's arm. "But what about you? You said _I_ would be going. You didn't say you were coming with me."

Mohinder laughed. "You are very observant." Mohinder shook his head. "No, I'm not coming with you."

"Why not?"

"I need to meet my friend. He's asked me with help with a problem of his."

Molly's head popped up. "I can help!"

Mohinder shook his head. "I'd really rather you didn't come."

Molly pouted. She looked at the paper. "Then where is he?" Mohinder opened his mouth, but shut it. Molly smiled. Mohinder laughed. He got off the couch and walked into his room. He needed to get a ticket, create arrangements with Niki about Molly, pack a suitcase. Nathan's letter sounded urgent, so Mohinder had to leave right away. He didn't explain the problem he needed Mohinder's assisstance with, but the geneticist had a suspicion that it had some miniscule connection to Peter.

As Mohinder had been thinking, he had been staring at the black computer screen. Mohinder shook his head and booted the machine before him. By the time Mohinder was on Priceline and had chosen a date and his finger was just milimeters away from the left mouse button to confirm the trip, Molly had entered the bedroom and had thrown an atlas on the bed. Mohinder turned to his charge and stared at her as she patiently sat with her legs tucked underneath her thin body. Mohinder smiled at her briefly, then noticed the atlas. He stood up, ignoring the computer and noticing the pushpin.

The pin was in the middle of Mexico. It was in the far west, probably almost one hundred thousand miles from the border. Mohinder met Molly's eyes. They were determined and stubborn. She meant business. Molly leaned forward. "You should've told me the man you're looking for was the one who flew away with the guy who faced off with the Boogeyman. I would have found him right away. Besides," Molly said, leaning back a little and pushing out her lower lip just the tiniest bit, "I want to thank him for saving our lives. If he hadn't flown away with the man who blew up, then we would all be dead."

Mohinder nodded. "That's true. But I'm afraid you'd get hurt if you came." Mohinder touched one of Molly's hands. "I don't want you hurt because I let you come on a trip."

Molly shook her head. "I promise I won't get hurt, Mohinder. And you said he was having trouble. What if that trouble makes him move? You wouldn't know where he went."

Mohinder shook his head, sighing. He sat the palm of his hand on the top of Molly's head. Molly gave Mohinder a childish smile, which looked even cuter due to her chubby cheeks. Mohinder looked at the push pin. "You're going to keep doing this until I give in, aren't you?"

Molly nodded.

**In Mexico**

Luisa smoothed out the wrinkles in the blanket that hung on the back of the sofa. She turned around when she heard the door open and witnessed Adrian returning from a day of whatever he does. Luisa turned around completely and gave the older man a smile. "How was your day?" Adrian blinked at Luisa, still holding his hat. Luisa stopped smiling. "Is something wrong?"

Adrian shook his head. "It's nothing. I just felt like a newlywed for a moment."

Luisa couldn't hide the face of shock and mild disgust. Adrian didn't miss it. "Gee, I know we aren't the best of friends..."

Luisa bowed her head. She held up her hands in surrender and shook them. "_Estoy apesadumbrado_. I didn't mean it! Just...uh...it was a surprise!" Luisa stood to her full height, nervously playing with her hands as she tried to make things better. "After all, I'm still fairly young and not interested in anyone so much that I would like to take the next step into something like marriage and I, uh..."

Adrian waved his hand. "You can stop, Luisa. I was only joking."

Luisa blushed. "O-Of course you were." She looked away. "Peter slept all day, by the way. I've been in and out of his room, once every hour or so."

Adrian nodded. Luisa noticed something about his shoulders. They seemed to sag a little bit at hearing about his brother's condition. Luisa didn't mention this, thinking that if she did, Adrian would yell at her. Luisa said goodbye to Adrian and made her way home. It was becoming dusk. Luisa bit her lower lip. At the rate Adrian was keeping Luisa in his house, she was going to loose her job. Luisa could only pray that her mother spoke to her boss and explained to him what was going on.

**In Mexico**

Luisa opened the front door to her house, taking a few steps in before announcing her arrival. "Mama, Papa!_ Soy casero_!"

Luisa heard her mother call out for her, instructing Luisa where she was. "_En la parte posteriora, Luisa_." Luisa made her way further into the house, turning the corner and walking into the room furthest in the back. As she entered the room, she noticed that her parents were not alone.

Luisa turned to her mother, who was sitting to her right. "_Mama, que es este extranjero_?" Luisa twitched her head to the stranger in the corner. The stranger seemed to be like Adrian, a woman of either power or fame getting away from the hectic life many people dreamed about but that they were sick of. Though, unlike Adrian, she looked natural to this country, maybe even this village. Her hair was cropped just below her ears with a pink clip removing a few of her locks from her range of vision. Her eyes were brown and her face was shaped like a heart. Luisa could see her being a model. In fact, she thought she saw this girl in a few magazines.

"_Luisa,_" Luisa's mother said, introducing the stranger, "_éste es Maria Córcega. Ella vino de Ciudad de México ver a un periente el suyo pero consiguió perdia_."

Luisa couldn't help but be very confused. Maria Córcega? Even her name sounded familiar. Luisa had to go through the magazines she had collected over the years and make sure this girl wasn't in there somewhere. Luisa heard laughter. She focused on Maria. She had been the one laughing. "_Me estás mirando tan extraño. Hay algo mal_?"

Luisa blushed. She had been staring at Maria for the entire time she had been in the room, hadn't she? Luisa held her hands together. She bowed her head respectfully at Maria. "_Estoy apesadumbrado_," Luisa apologized. "_Apenas te pareces tan familiar a mí_."

Maria just chuckled at this. Like if she was used to having people recognize her. Luisa felt her heartbeat quicken. Great. She was embrassed, faced with a stranger that thought she was weird, and sooner or later the question of what she did that day with Adrian would come up. And with Maria there, what could she say? She'd have to explain to her who Adrian is and how she met him. And something about Maria...something about Maria made Luisa not trust her.

Luisa's father gestured to a chair next to Maria. "_Sentarte abajo, Luisa. Decirnos sobre tu día_."

Luisa sat stiffly next to Maria. Maria kept smiling at her, like if she was waiting for Luisa to give her a churroh. Luisa tried not to look at her. Those warm brown eyes, though, burnt holes into the back of her white dress. Luisa's hands fiddled with each other, much like the way Peter's hands often played with the fabric that made the sheets he slept on and the shirts Adrian wore. "_El pozo_..." Luisa started, deciding on words that would explain her day in an acceptable manner. "_Todo lo gue lo hice era hoy casa de Adrian limpio. Y no había mucho a limpiar tampoco así que era taladro bonito._" There, simple. Nice and simple. It was a boring day of cleaning a house. Acceptable and believeable.

_"Por qué te fueron para tan de largo_?" Luisa's father asked.

Hmm...a good question. Why was she gone for so long. Luisa smiled. "_Fueron a Adrian para la jornada completa. Él pidió que no se fuera hasta que él volvió_." Luisa congratulated herself. That was a good answer. And it was true. Sort of. Adrian didn't want her to leave until he got back. Though it was because of Peter, a fact Luisa made sure to keep out.

"_Qué hombre impar_" Luisa heard someone mumble. Luisa felt her heart warm up. Yes, Adrian was a fairly odd man.

**In Mexico**

Luisa was sitting next to Peter as he was attempting to tie a sneaker he had found in a closet. Luisa moved some hair out of Peter's face, even though in a few minutes it'd be there in a few more seconds. Peter's face twisted in anger. He threw the shoe across the room, the rubber bottom bouncing off the wall and falling to the ground with a thud. Peter crossed his arms over his chest and pouted at the evil shoe. Luisa smiled. So this was what it was like to have children.

The two heard the front door open. Peter's pout dissappeared and was quickly replaced by a bright smile. Adrian was home!

Peter jumped up and ran into the hallway and down the stairs. Luisa stood up and followed closely behind Peter, knowing that most five-year-olds had some problems with walking. Peter actually did have some trouble on the stairs, but Luisa was close enough to grab hold of the infantile man before he fell head-first down the stairs. Peter gave Luisa a bright smile before turning, grasping to the railing so tightly that his knuckles were turning white, and slowly making his way down the stairs, step-by-step.

Adrian's arms were out and ready to hold Peter before the younger boy reached his brother. Luisa felt a tingling in her chest. Those two were so cute together. A sudden thought struck her, a thought that was related to her original ponderings of who Adrian truly was. Luisa knocked it away. At this point, after almost a week of being so close to Adrian, that puzzle didn't really matter to her. On most days, she was so exhausted from taking care of Peter that she didn't even have time to wonder about him.

Adrian had said something to Peter, causing the younger to hurry up the stairs. Luisa was going to follow the handsome man, but Adrian stopped her. "Luisa." Luisa turned at the sound of her name. Adrian was smiling. Something rare and probably more precious than the mystic topaz necklace that Adrian had gotten her. Luisa felt her face heat. All the three times she had seen Adrian smile before now, it was at Peter and when he thought Luisa wasn't in the room. His smiles had been attractive then, but being smiled at was making the simple action seem like the most beautiful thing in the world.

"Luisa," Adrian continued, walking up to the first step of the stairs, just a few steps away from Luisa, "Peter wants for you to stay for dinner tonight."

Luisa played with her skirt. "I-It's a very nice dinner" Luisa said, not knowing how else to respond. A second later, she realized "thank you" would have been much better.

Adrian nodded his head. "Good. You should wash up." The older man began to walk away.

"Wait." Adrian turned to Luisa. "I'm just a little curious," Luisa said. "You never said when I can stop doing this. Not that I don't like being here, but I--"

"You'll know when you are supposed to stop."

**In Mexico**

"Luisa!" Luisa slowly opened her eyes. Why was it so bright? "Luisa!" _Uhhh_, Luisa thought. She wanted to tell whoever it was to be quiet. She was out late the night before, having dinner with her friends and tucking Peter into bed. She deserved to not be disturbed, damn it! "Luisa! Luisa, _si no te levantas pronto, esa persona de Adrian va a conseguir enojada en ti_!"

Luisa sat up in her bed, back becoming so straight that a plank of wood would look curved. She saw her mother, jumping back a little from the sudden movement. Luisa fell out of her bed. She ran to the dresser, not looking at the alarm clock she didn't set the night before. "_Cuándo es_" she asked.

"_Ocho de la mañana_" Luisa'a mother said. Luisa fell over when she heard that, part from shock at how late she was going to be, part because she had trouble putting on her skirt. "_Qué! Cómo? Oh! Él va a matarme!_" Luisa saw her mother's face and saw the anxiety that her statement has caused. Luisa stood up. "_Una broma, Mama. Él realmente no me lastimará_." And he wouldn't. Adrian may be an intimidating, overbearing, fear-inducing man who enjoyed the sight of Luisa cowering in her sandals, but he would never hurt someone. Especially since hurting Luisa might reveal the existance of his poor, helpless brother.

Luisa's mother gained a dark look. "_Él mejor no_," she said, before walking away.

**In Mexico**

Luisa felt worn down that day. Adrian hadn't yelled at her when she got there, thank God, but that was because he was kind of tired. Luisa hadn't known why, until she saw Peter. Rather, until Peter jumped on her. Peter, who is probably ten or twelve pounds heavier than the petite little Mexican girl, easily knocked her over. No need to say, that set the tone of the visit which was steadily growing worse and worse.

"Peter," Luisa said as patiently as she could, which wasn't very since Peter had been getting on her nerves the entire time, "please calm down. I need to put this stuff in the dressers."

Peter grabbed Luisa's skirts. He started to play with the cloth. "But, but, but, but, but..."

"But what?" Luisa sighed.

"But I wanta play! C'mon! Can't you just play with me for one minute?"

"I'll play with you once I'm done laundry" Luisa promised. Though she was almost dreadding it.

"I wanta play now!" Peter pulled on Luisa's skirts.

"Stop it, Peter! You're going to rip my skirt!"

"You can't boss me around!" Peter protested, pulling on Luisa's skirt again. "You're not Nathan!"

"Who's Nathan?" Luisa asked.

Peter didn't answer. He was quickly interested in something else. "Ooh! That looks soft!" Peter reached his hand up under Luisa's skirt. Peter grasped Luisa's underwear, and in the process, squeezed Luisa's right butt cheek.

Luisa's reaction was like that of a rattlesnake. She didn't even remember turning and slapping Peter, only that the palm of her hand was buzzing and that Peter was on his side, holding onto his cheek. Luisa pointed a finger in Peter's face. The white man's eyes widened at the slender appendage. "Don't you _ever_ touch my _extremo_ ever again. _Entiendes_?" Peter stared fearfully into Luisa's face. "_Entiendes_?" Luisa shouted again. Peter nodded harshly, crawling back a little.

Luisa, feeling satisfied with herself, straightened her dress and left the room, head held high in the air.

**In Mexico**

Nathan did his usual "I'm home" routine. Announce his prescence, toss his hat onto the couch, ask Luisa how the day was, go up to talk to Peter. And this was what he did that day. Announce his prescence, toss his hat onto the couch, and ask Luisa what happened that day.

"Well, Peter had been acting very improperly today, but I believe he's learned his lesson." Luisa said this proudly, with arms crossed over her abdomen, still holding the spatula she was using to make dinner.

"What do you mean he was acting improperly?"

Luisa pointed to her butt. "He reached up my skirt and grabbed my _extremo_!"

Nathan sighed. He shook his head. "I'll go talk to him."

Luisa called after him, "You better, Adrian! Or else I may just have to leave before my time!"

_And that would be a complete disaster_, Nathan thought sarcastically. He ascended the stairs, making them rock in their regular screwless fashion. He paused at the landing, listening to what seemed like shaky breathing. "Peter?" Nathan called out. There was creaking from Peter's room. Nathan opened the door.

Nathan had become accostomed to Peter's attack-hugs. But this one had much more force behind it than normal. Peter's arms were like vices, expressing the super-strength he must have picked up in his meetings with other special people. And he was shaking. His entire body was shaking like a little leaf on the tip of twig that had been caught in the wind. Nathan wrapped his arms around Peter. "Pete. Is something wrong? Tell me what's wrong?" Nathan was easing Peter into a kneeling position and smoothing the stray hairs on his little brother's head.

Peter looked up, showing his bloodshot eyes and the large, marring bruise on the side of his face. Nathan gasped. He made Peter move his head so that he could get a better look. The bruise was a black-purple color and spread from just above Peter's jawline to right under his eye and stretched from the corner of his mouth to the area around his ear lobe. Nathan's fingers ghosted over the bruise. Peter cringed. Nathan shushed him and brought Peter to him. "What happened?" Nathan whispered.

Peter's voice was trembling when he answered. "I wanted Luisa to play with me, so I pulled on her skirt and when I pulled on her skirt I saw something that looked really soft to touch so I reached up and grabbed it and...and she hit me." Peter buried his head further into Nathan's chest. "I don't like this game anymore Nathan! I wanta go home!"

Nathan rubbed Peter's back. "Not yet. It's not safe to go home. That's where the bad people are."

"I wanta go home!" Peter's pleads were slowly turning into sobs, soaking the shirt in a few minutes. Nathan felt his heart start to beat faster. He whispered to Peter that he needed to go talk to Luisa. Peter let Nathan go, revealing the shiny trails of tears that had run down Peter's cheeks. Nathan ruffled Peter's hair and walked away, telling Peter he can come if he wanted, but that it would be a little frightening.

When Nathan walked into the kitchen, where Luisa was finishing dinner, he did nothing but stare at her. Luisa tried to ignore it, but her will was weak and putty-like around this powerful stranger. It took little over a minute before Luisa finally asked what Nathan, or Adrian really, wanted. "You hit Peter" Nathan said, pronouncing every word perfectly.

Luisa blinked at Nathan. "Yes. I slapped him, but I told you why. He touched me in an innappropriate way."

Nathan crossed his arms. "I admit, you had a right to punish him, but do you realize how hard you hit him?"

Luisa shrugged. "No."

Nathan took Luisa's wrist and yanked it up. He stared into Luisa's eyes. "He has a bruise the size of your hand, all across the right side of his face."

"He does?" Luisa asked. She had a genuine tone of worry and sympathy, but Nathan was going to let her off as easily as she was hoping. "I didn't mean to hit him that hard." Luisa pushed on Nathan's hand, which was holding her so hard that it was starting to hurt. "Can you let go of me?"

Nathan squeezed harder. He yanked Luisa closer. "No, I can't let go of you. Do you know why? Because you hurt my little brother. And _no one_ hurts Peter while I am able to say something about it." Luisa pulled on her arm. Nathan pulled harder. "Do you understand me?" Luisa nodded. "Say it" Nathan instructed in a hiss.

"I understand" Luisa whispered.

Nathan pushed her away. "Good. Now get out of my house."

Luisa crossed her arms. She knocked her elbow into Nathan's as she left. "How do I even know it's your house?"

**In Mexico**

It was dark when Luisa finally got back to her village. It was for the better, Luisa decided. That way, she could let loose some of her steam in relative privacy.

For a few minutes, Luisa did nothing but throw a grown-up hissy fit. She stomped and huffed and threw her arms up and grumbled and growled and grit her teeth. Luisa could do that because she was alone and not bothering anyone. Which is why Luisa fell to the ground, screaming, when she heard someone call out her name.

There was laughing from behind Luisa as well as a light. The young girl looked up and saw Maria Córcega standing behind her, holding a lantern. "_Eres aceptable_?" Luisa nodded her head, standing up. She was perfectly fine. Only thing hurt was her ego. Luisa brushed the dust off her skirt. "_Subsistencia de Adrian tú tarde otra vez esta noche_?" Luisa nodded. Adrian kept coming home later and later nowadays, keeping her from going home and keeping her at his house later and later. "_Debe ser duro_."

Luisa nodded. She sighed. "_Es. Pero tengo que. Realmente tengo gusto de ver a Adrian diario._"

Maria smiled. She swung the lantern a little. "_Tenía un amigo nombrado Adrian una vez. Él era hombre agradable. Un poco obstinado y la intimidación, pero la mayoría de los políticos son como ése._"

Luisa wanted to look at Maria, but couldn't bring herself to. It was probably a different person. A different Adrian. But then again, if this girl knew Adrian than she could be able to clear up some of the shadier corners of the mystery that surrounds the strange man and his brother. "_Como cuál era él_?"

Maria waved her hand above her head. "_Pelo alto, marrón. Esposa, dos cabritos. Hermano._" Maria waved her hand at shoulder height. "_Un hermano más joven_." Maria sighed and dropped her hand. "_Él fue a faltar un rato detrás, aunque. No largo después de su hermano murió_."

Luisa stopped walking. Maria stopped walking and looked back at her. Luisa felt her arms shaking. The Adrian Maria was talking about dissappeared after his brother, his younger brother, died. Adrian never gave a reason for coming to the village, but he had admit that Peter had been in an accident. But why would he come here? If these two men were the same person, then Adrian had a family and a career and possibly dozens of friends to help him through the hardship he had just faced. They could even help him with Peter.

Luisa jumped a little at the feel of a hand on her shoulder. She looked up into Maria's serious eyes. "Luisa," she said, "_hace este sonido como el hombre que has estado trabajando para. For favor decrime. Porque si, después él podría ser la misma persona. Y si es_," Maria paused, looking to the ground, "_si es, después nosotros puede traerlo de nuevo a su familia_."

Luisa grasped her skirt. She tried to even her breathing. The two men did sound the same. And she could imagine that any family would miss a member of the family. And the wife and kids...Luisa remembered a time when her father was away for a family emergency when she was young. She cried to her mom that she wanted her dad home right away. How would Adrian's children be feeling? She didn't even know how long he had been away. But then...this could not be the same Adrian and then the Adrian Luisa knew would get angry and yell at her again.

Luisa looked into Maria's worried eyes. Well...as long as Peter wasn't revealed to her then it would be okay, right?

**In Mexico**

Luisa's mother and father had been angry when she got home, but when she explained that she had run into Maria Córcega, they seemed relieved and let Luisa go. That Maria girl had really won them over, Luisa recognized. A sprig of jealousy grew in her heart, but Luisa ignored it. She had other things to worry about.

Luisa lay on her back in her bedroom. She looked under her bed, where all her magazines were. Even though Luisa was sure that the Maria Córcega was just plain old Maria, she was still suspicious. Luisa reached under her bed and pulled out one of the stacks she had under there. Luisa had about ten stacks of magazines under her bed, each having a year's worth of subscriptions in them. Luisa flipped through every one of ther magazines, searching for anything that might proove whether Maria was the either famous or powerful woman Luisa suspected her to be. Luisa figured that if she knew Adrian--or at leat an Adrian that was a politician--than she had to have some semblance of power or fame. How else would she have gotten so close to him?

Luisa was dead tired by the time she got to her sixth stack. She was barely even going past the first page by that point as well. Which was all Luisa really needed.

It was magazine four in stack six that Luisa found her proof. And it was probably one of the most frightening moments of Luisa's life. Little did she know that more frightening moments would be coming to her very soon. But that wouldn't bother Luisa for a while at that point. What did matter was the sense that she had put a friend of hers in danger.

**In Mexico**

From the shadows, a figure watched as a young Mexican girl ran down the dirt road and into the desert. "Shit" the figure whispered.

**In Mexico**

Nathan was petting Peter's hair when he heard the knocks at the door. Peter sat straight on the couch and looked to the door, watching and wondering who would be bothering the brothers at such a late hour. He sunk into the couch, a little fearful when he saw Luisa rush into the living room. "_Estás en peligro_!" Luisa announced. She was frantic; moving, yelling, using both English and Spanish. It wasn't until Nathan took Luisa by the shoulders that she finally stopped. "Breathe," he told her. Luisa nodded and took in deep, shaky breaths. "Now tell me, in English, what's happening."

Luisa took another deep breath. She was still shaking, though, when she answered, "I think you're in danger."

"Why do you say that?" Nathan asked.

Luisa looked at the door. It was still open. She rushed to it and quickly closed it. "Do you know a woman that goes by the name Maria Córcega?" Nathan shook his head. Luisa leaned closer to him. "Are you being honest? Compeltely and totally honest?"

"Yes, I'm being honest. I know no one by that name" Nathan swore. Luisa had been looking into his eyes as he said that. Though Luisa had always looked into his eyes. She looked away. "Luisa, what's wrong?"

Luisa looked back up to Nathan. "For the past few days, there's been a girl that went by the name of Maria Córcega hanging around the village. No one else seemed to notice, but I found her very familiar to a model by the same name."

"Maybe it's the same person?" Nathan suggested with a shrug.

Luisa held up the magazine she was holding. On the cover was a young and beautiful woman with short hair and a pink barret holding back some of her hair. "It can't be the same person. This girl on the magazine, Maria Córcega, is dead. She was on a plane that crashed in a field in Spain. She's been dead for six years!" Luisa pointed at Nathan. "And don't say that it was a misprint or she faked her death or whatever! Her dental records showed it was her and she was identified by her parents who were already in the country!"

"Okay, I won't. I probably wouldn't have. But why does that put me and Peter in trouble?"

Luisa pointed to the door. "The Maria that's been hanging around here asked me about you. She said she knew a man named Adrian and she started asking about you."

At that point, there was a knock at the door. The whole house went still. Apparently, the person just beyond that door was not patient enough to wait for someone to open up and let them in, so they kicked the door down. Not a very hard task, really. The person walked in, revealing themselves to be a tall, lovely Hispanic woman with a pink barret. Luisa shrieked. Maria held her ears. "Shut up already! Geez, you're so loud I could have just followed your warning. Probably would have gotten me here faster."

Nathan stepped forward. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

The woman chuckled. "Adrian. I hear that's your name now." Maria played with her hair. "Seriously, could you have found a worse name to call yourself?"

"Who are you?" Nathan asked again. His eyes went wide. "Are you one of Linderman's cronies?"

Maria sighed. "Technically I'm one of your mom's cronies, if that's what you really want to consider me."

Luisa's eyes widened. "Your mother's cronies?"

Peter gasped, "The bad people!"

Maria looked at Peter. "What's wrong with him?"

"Ask my mom. She's the one who did this to him."

Maria pouted. "That's a really mean thing to say about your mother." Maria beckoned to Nathan. "Now c'mon Mr. Petrelli. Your mom wants you back home as soon as possible."

Nathan crossed his arms. "Try me."

Maria flexed her fingers. "I will" she challenged.

Luisa pushed her back against the wall. This wasn't going to end up well. She held her hands together and closed her eyes. She started whispering, going through the beads on the rosary she had left at home. She held her hands up to her face. This was not simple. Not anymore at least.

Maria drew her arm back, clawing it like an animal's. Maria grinned ferally. Luisa shrunk closer to the kitchen-slash-dinning room. Maria prepared herself to charge forward and claw out the eyes of the man she had been searching for. Then she felt something hold her arm. Maria turned around. The scrawny boy who had been hiding behind the couch had apparently gotten himself some courage and was now the one trying to stop Maria and Nathan's fight.

"Stop it!" Peter begged. "Leave my brother alone! He didn't do anything to you!"

Maria's eyes widened. The man that had stopped her was a few years younger than her, but the way he spoke was like a toddler. Maria scowled. She grabbed hold of his thin wrists and tossed him away from her. Peter didn't have the best understand of what was going on, so he was easily thrown to the side. But where Maria was standing and how Peter was thrown, "to the side" meant straight into the stairs. The back of Peter's head, where the neck and the skull meet, was the first place to hit the stairs. He fell a few steps before finally stopping, but Peter had already been knocked unconscious.

"Peter!" Nathan ran to Peter's side. He got on one knee and slowly, gently, shook his brother's shoulders. "Peter. Peter. Are you okay? Wake up Peter!" Nathan lifted Peter's head.

"This is why you should have just come with me" Maria said. Nathan turned to the woman. "Peter could be hurt very gravely. We should take him back to New York where he can recieve proper medical attention."

Nathan grit his teeth. He turned back to Peter, who was still unconscious. Maria was right. Peter was breathing, but who knew how hard he had been thrown? He could have a concussion or worse. He could be paralyzed. Nathan looked back at Maria. He smiled.

"What are you so cheery abou--" Maria stopped her sentence mid-way, but only because Luisa, who understood correct timing, had sneaked away, stolen a chair, and had just hit Maria in the back of the head as hard as she could. Luisa was panting, not out of physical exertion but out of the emotional wear and tear this event was causing her. Luisa was about to say something to Nathan when she noticed something about Maria. Maria was no longer Maria. Maria was now a white woman with long brown hair and was shorter than Maria was.

Luisa screamed. She pointed at the brown-haired woman who was once Maria. "_Q-Quién es..._" Luisa shook her head, "Who is that?"

Nathan got up, picking Peter up as he did. "No time to explain. Right now we have to get out of here."

"But...but she...she changed and...and..." Luisa followed Nathan through the front door and out into the desertous area. Nathan placed Peter on the ground and undid his belt. "What are you..."

Nathan wrapped his belt around Luisa's waist, then turned his back to her and buckled it so that the two were tied together tightly. Nathan picked Peter up again. He half-turned to Luisa and instructed her, "Hold on very tight."

"Why?" Luisa asked.

"Just do it!" Nathan yelled. Luisa did as he said. She wrapped her arms around Nathan's neck and held onto his shirt. Luisa kept her eyes on the ground. She couldn't believe what was going on. What was Nathan going to do that needed her to hold onto him? Luisa wanted to ask questions, but as she felt the ground fall from her feet and the wind flap her cheeks, she found that speaking was the last thing she was capable of.

* * *

_So...that's chapter three. Luisa knows about Nathan's powers, the bitch mama Petrelli is after her sons, and you sunk my battleship._

_Review!_


	4. Chapter 4

_Hello fanfiction! How're you? Guess what? I'm single! Woot! I have broken up with my boyfriend and I feel absolutely no difference! Haha!_

_Well, anyway, I wanna say thank you to my reviewers. All the praise you give me is what makes me type so fast. That and my sister threatening physical pain if I don't read the new Harry Potter book. (sweatdrop) _

_And someone asked if Sylar was alive. Yeah, he is. Zachy-poo (my nickname for the actor) has flat-out said in an interview for a promotion for the first season DVD that Sylar is coming back season two. Hell yes baby! But, let me just say that this story is not about Sylar, it's about the Petrelli brothers._

_Now that I'm done with that. Enjoy chapter four!_

**ac-the-brain-supreme does not own Heroes or most of the characters portrayed in the story. She does own Luisa though. And she will kick your ass if you steal her.**

* * *

Mohinder held tightly onto Molly's small hand. He lead his daughter-to-be through the mass crowd that surged from the airplane and into the terminal in Mexico City. Molly's eyes were focused on everything and anything that was not what she was doing or where she was going. Mohinder kept looking over his shoulder, just to ensure that the little girl he had brought off the plane was still with him and that the small bundle of warmth wasn't anything other than his imagination. They managed themselves through the crowd, down an elevator, and down multiple halls to the luggage pick-up.

Mohinder looked at the changing sign. He sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Great. I hate Spanish."

"You don't know how to read it?" Molly asked.

Mohinder looked down at her. "Barely." He looked around. There was a nearby bench. Mohinder pulled on Molly's hand. "C'mon. We should go and sit down over there." Molly followed behind the older man, her eyes on all the other people around her. "Our baggage won't be off the plane for a while anyway" Mohinder reasoned as he sat down. Molly made herself comfortable next to him, lying her head against his side. Mohinder leaned his head back and sighed, planting a hand on Molly's upper arm.

"Where's the atlas?" Molly asked. Mohinder sat up. He gave her a questioning look. Molly cocked her head to the side. "I want to make sure they are still where we left them."

Mohinder tapped the side of foot against his brown carry-on bag. Molly pulled up the brown bag and sat it between her and her gaurdian. She opened it wide and dug through. The bag wasn't very big, but it had a lot of things in there. It carried Mohinder's laptop, his cell phone, several books--not including the very large atlas that Molly found almost immediately--and countless other things like the push pins Molly used and several forgotten pens that sat half-used at the very bottom. Molly opened the atlas and flipped through to the pages with Mexico on them. She closed her eyes and thought about the two men that had asked for Mohinder's help. The man who had beaten the Boogeyman and the other man that flew the first man into the sky. She breathed deeply as she picked up a push pin.

Mohinder watched with pride and wonder. He had seen Molly's ability in action before, but each time was as special as the first. Maybe even moreso. The way her hand moved like it had a mind of its own; the way Molly looked at absolute peace. The latter was so rare for Molly. Sometimes when she slept she didn't seem like she was completely comfortable. Because there were always the dreams of the Boogeyman and what he had done. Freezing her father and slicing off his head; throwing her mother against the stairs and impaling her with silverware; stopping Matt Parkman's bullets and throwing them back at him, nearly killing the officer that had saved Molly's life. Molly applied the pressure to the top of the pin, pushing it into the folds of paper. She opened her eyes and looked at the pin.

Mohinder's eyes flashed from the pin to where the hole from the last one was. "They've moved?" Mohinder asked.

Molly nodded. "And they're still moving."

**In Mexico**

Luisa felt nearly frozen. The freezing night air and paralyzing fear had made her muscles tighten against the flying man's back. She was exhausted and sad and terrified, and most prominently, furious. Furious that she had listened to Adrian, or whoever the hell he was, and held onto him. Furious that she had spoken to Maria, or whoever the hell _she_ was. Furious that she was probably hundreds to thousands of miles away from home. Furious that she had even run to catch up to Adrian after he had first bought her the necklace.

The sun, which had risen maybe an hour ago, had started to warm Luisa when Adrian set her and the rest of them down on the ground. Luisa began to wander after Adrian let her go, to get the feeling and warmth back into her legs. "That was...unbelieveable" Luisa whispered.

Adrian shrugged. "It was needed." He sat Peter against a nearby boulder. "Personally, I don't really like flying. I've only done it five times, including last night. Everytime it was necessary." Adrian paused. "Except for that first time."

"What happened the first time" Luisa found herself asking.

Adrian kept his eyes on either Peter or the ground. "I was in a car chase with some men from a man I knew and was going to persecute. Somehow, I flew out of my car, which crashed and..." Adrian paused.

Luisa stood up. "Was that the accident that...hurt...Peter?"

Adrian shook his head. "No. What happened to Peter was much worse." Adrian got to his feet, wiping the dust off his knees. "My wife was in that car. She was paralyzed because of what happened."

"You have a wife?" Luisa questioned. She blushed from how dissappointed she sounded. Of course he would have a wife. The not-Maria girl had told her that he had one. As well as two kids. "Why'd you leave her behind?"

Adrian didn't answer. He didn't look at Luisa and didn't even acknowledge her question. "We should get moving soon. You never know where Linderman's..." Adrian paused, "I mean my mother's...men might be."

Luisa blinked. She looked around her. They were in the middle of nowhere. Luisa doubted that even Adrian knew where they were. He'd probably just flown away, not caring about where they were going. Luisa let a very soft growl tumble in her throat. She crossed her arms and gave Adrian a steely glare. Adrian didn't notice and instead tried to determine where to go. Finally, after long minutes of silence, Luisa asked the firey question that had been troubling her for weeks. "Who are you?"

Adrian turned to her. He turned away. "That's something you don't need to know." Adrian felt something hit the back of his head. He turned sharply towards Luisa. She was holding a rock in her left hand, her right being empty, though it had once held a rock as well. "Something I don't need to know?" Luisa repeated. She took a step forward. "Something I don't need to know!" Luisa grasped her hair and let loose a hoarse scream. She kicked the ground and threw her other rock at the horizon. Adrian stood where he was, staring at Luisa as she threw her tantrum. He figured this wouldn't last long. Luisa hadn't seemed like the woman who would be so emotional.

When Luisa did stop, she was panting. Then, she fell to the ground and began to cry. Adrian rolled his eyes. "Get up" he commanded. "You're a big girl. You shouldn't be crying."

Luisa looked up. "I have the right to cry." She stood up. "I have the right to know who you are. Do you know why? Because you just flew me half way across Mexico! You took me away from my family, away from my life. In fact, you _ruined_ my life! And what did I do to you? I slaved away in your house, took care of your brother, risked my job and the respect and trust of my parents. You at least owe me an explanation, you bastard!"

Adrian sighed. He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Fine. You're already too deep into this mess to get out anyway." He looked out to the horizon for a moment before looking back to Luisa. "My real name is Nathan Petrelli. And I am supposed to be the newly elected Congressman of the 14th district in New York, but instead I'm a fugitive from my own mother, taking care of my little brother who blew up three months ago and has since acted like a five-year-old."

Luisa's eyebrows came together. By now, her tears had stopped falling. "Peter...blew up?" Luisa paused. "His name really is Peter right?"

Nathan nodded. "Yes, his name is in fact Peter."

"Okay," Luisa nodded. "I just wanted to clear that up."

Nathan paused a moment before nodding. He walked over to Peter and picked him up. He held him gently, like a bride. Luisa approached Nathan from behind. "How did he blow up and have such minimal damage." Luisa paused. "Not that reverting to a toddler is small or, uh..."

"Peter has special powers, like me. He can imitate the powers of others." Nathan sighed. "He met a man with radioactive powers and couldn't control them." Nathan turned to Luisa. "My daughter, Claire, can regenerate. He was able to..." Nathan stopped speaking. He seemed to be trying to say something, but something was holding him back.

"Live?" Luisa offered.

Nathan nodded. "Yeah. Live."

"And your mother? Why did she want to blow up your brother?" Luisa asked. This was getting very interesting. Better than a telenovella.

"I'll tell you while we walk" Nathan promised. The older man began to walk away in the direction he had originally been flying in. Luisa hurried to catch up. When she did, Nathan continued. "My mother and another man, Linderman, worked together to put me in power. They wanted me to go all the way to the white house and be president."

"Wow" Luisa whispered.

"Yeah" Nathan agreed. "They would have done anything to get me there. And they figured that a catastrophe to one of the biggest cities in America, probably even the world, would be just the thing for me to navigate through; to help everyone rise above."

"So they planned to have an explosion. And Peter..." Luisa looked at Peter. Her eyebrows dipped down. "How could they do that? To all those innocent people? To your brother? Your mother is...is..."

"A horrid and backstabbing bitch who deserves to die a slow and painful death in the firey embers of Hell?"

Luisa backed off a little. "Uh...yeah." And so, for the next couple of hours, until the sun set, the two made their way through the rocky desert and to a town they didn't know exist.

**In Mexico**

_The pain was more than intense. It was down right torture. But Nathan had to move on, despite his burnt hands and torso. He needed to move on and find Peter. Nathan looked down at his hands again. They were red and puffy. The flesh was translucent, showing the little, delicate bones and the intricate lines of veins. One thumb was bleeding and little specks of blood was pushing up on the other hand. Nathan looked away. _No,_ Nathan told himself._ Don't worry about yourself. Peter's the one you need to find. Peter's the one that's worse off._ Nathan looked up to the now-clear sky. "Much worse" Nathan whispered. _

_He walked further down the road. It was late at night. But, like most days or nights where something life-changing has occured, it felt much later than it really was. Nathan looked at his watched. Two in the morning. Nathan chuckled. It was only two in the morning. He was expecting somewhere around three or four. He looked around. There was a nearby alley. Nathan meandered hastily over to the darker area. His eyes had to adjust, but he didn't need his eyes. He could sense that there was something in there. Something important. Nathan walked down, sifting through the bags of garbage and the grime, hope rising that maybe this was the place Peter landed. _

_Nathan heard a soft moan. He held his breath and continued further. And there, lying on a pile of black plastic bags, was a thin, black-haired man, younger than Nathan, but joyously familiar. Nathan hurried forward. He stopped in front of Peter. From the looks of him, he was without scars. Nathan laughed. He silently thanked Claire and leaned over Peter. _

_"Peter" Nathan said. Peter's nose twitched. Nathan smiled. He reached down and brushed some hair out of Peter's face. "Peter, wake up." Peter's dark eyes opened slowly. Nathan sighed. He touched Peter's shoulder. Peter's eyes shot open. They turned to Nathan and the older could see the fear in them. Peter pulled away, curling into a ball and covering his chest with tightly-crossed arms. Peter tucked his chin into the top of his torso, eyes never leaving Nathan. "Wh-Who are you?" Peter asked._

_Nathan felt his gut twitch. "Peter, don't you remember? It's me: Nathan. Your brother." Peter's eyes slid to a corner, solwly growing smaller. Then, they grew again. His head snapped to Nathan. Before the elder knew it, all one hundred and ten pounds of his brother were thrown on him. Nathan stumbled backwards before balancing himself and holding the wall with one arm, wrapping the other around Peter's body. _

_Peter's face was buried in Nathan's neck. "N-Nathan! Nathan! I don't like the dark! It's so scary!" _

_Nathan pushed Peter off him. "The dark? Peter, you haven't been afraid of the dark since you were..." Nathan saw Peter's quivering lip and the wider eyes and he came to a haunting conclusion. "Since you were five." Nathan looked around. He saw an old and discarded cloth. He pulled it out, noticing the stains that were on it. Nathan's first thought was to throw it back and to just carry Peter out the way he was. But to do that would hurt his reputation. So, reluctantly, Nathan wrapped the disgusting sheet around his brother's body. He placed his hands firmly on Peter's shoulders. "Peter, we have to move quickly. We need to see Mohinder." _

_Peter looked confused. "Who's Mohinder?" _

_Nathan's eyes moved from side to side. Well, Peter had forgotten him. Maybe he had forgotten Mohinder as well. Maybe describing him would make Peter remember. "Mohinder, Peter. Mohinder Suresh." Peter still looked lost. "Uh... He's the Indian man." Peter's eyes lit up. "An Indian! Does he make that funny noise?" Nathan bowed his head. "No!" Nathan shouted. Peter flinched and tried to move away from Nathan, but the older man's hands were still tightly connected to Peter. "No," Nathan said more softly. "No, he doesn't." Peter calmed down and blinked at his brother. Nathan tried again. "He's the Indian professor. Do you remember him? Curly hair, dark skin. He's got a funny accent. Remember?" _

_Peter looked to the ground, eyes growing smaller again. Finally, he closed them, looking deep inside his memory to find the face of the man that Nathan was talking about. Peter opened his eyes. Looking guilty, Peter shook his head. He didn't remember. Nathan sighed. He ran his fingers through his hair. "Don't worry. You'll remember him when you see him." Peter smiled and nodded. Nathan placed his hand on Peter's back and started to walk away with him. _

_Two bright headlights stopped the brothers' progress. It was a nice, black car. It was recently bought, so Peter might not have recognized it, but Nathan did. Unfortunately. _

_A door opened and out stepped and older woman with few, but deep wrinkles and well-gelled and -moussed hair. Her lips were painted and tightly pressed together and her arms were crossed dissapointingly over her torso. Nathan grabbed Peter and held him closer. "Mother" Nathan greeted coldly._

_"Oh, don't do that" Mrs. Petrelli said. Nathan felt like he was a freshman in high school again. "I'm very dissapointed Nathan. You've ruined all our carefully laid plans. And why?"_

_"Because what you planned was sick and wrong!" Nathan answered._

_Mrs. Petrelli pouted. She looked to Peter. "I see you've found Peter."_

_"I had to" Nathan said. He pulled Peter closer. "Who knows what you and your people would do to him if one of you found him first."_

_"I would have made sure he was treated well" Mrs. Petrelli answered. She beckoned to her sons. "Now come on." _

_Nathan glared at his mother. He sweeped Peter off his feet, catching him and holding him bridal-style. Mrs. Petrelli's eyes widened. "Nathan!" Mrs. Petrelli shouted. She reached out for her oldest, but Nathan had already taken off by then._

**In Mexico**

Eyes opened very slowly, sleepiness trying to keep them down. The head moved up towards the sky, so that the opened eyes could see the sky and the many stars that that decorated it. The person smiled. He had never seen so many stars before. The person sat up, rubbing the opened eyes. The person shook his head and looked around. It was almost completely dark, but he could tell that there were two sleeping figures, one on each side of him. The person stood up. The air was cool, but dry, and the land was barren and rocky. The person looked to the figure to his left. He kneeled down and took a closer look. Something on the figure caught his eyes. The person reached down and touched a glimmering, colorful stone.

The person who had been wearing the neacklace stirred. She opened her eyes and blinked at the other person. The girl gave a small scream and backed away quickly. She held her arm up and began panting. Then she lowered her arm and she said slowly, "Peter? Y-You're awake?"

Peter nodded. The girl smiled brightly. She crawled over to the other figure and shook him. "Nathan, Peter's awake!" Nathan stirred slowly, initially knocking the girl's hand away and rolling onto a different side. The girl huffed. She shook Nathan again. Nathan mumbled something and knocked her away again. The girl stood up. She turned her back to Nathan and fell on him, her butt landing on his lower back. Nathan woke up then. He knocked the girl off of him and looked ready to murder her. Then Nathan saw his brother, awake and staring at him. Nathan moved to Peter and kneeled in front of him. He took Peter by the shoulders. "Peter, are you okay?"

Peter nodded. "Uh, yeah Nate." He lifted Nathan's hands and put them on the ground. "Hey, do you know where we are? This doesn't look like anywhere I've been before."

Nathan stared at Peter. He felt his muscles loosen and his jaw fall open. His back slumped over, making him lean a little closer to Peter. Peter looked at his brother oddly. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Nathan shook his head. "Sorry. It's just...you're back."

"I'm...back?" Peter furrowed his brow. "Did I go somewhere?"

Nathan ran his hand over Peter's head. "No. But...don't you remember? The past few months, you don't remember?"

"Past few months?" Peter looked around. "Where are we Nathan?" He turned to Luisa briefly before turning back to Nathan. "Who's that girl?"

Nathan pat Peter's shoulders. "We are in the middle of the Mexican desert."

"What?" Peter shouted. "How the hell did we get here?"

Nathan raised a finger. "One moment." He gestured to Luisa. "That is Luisa, a friendly local."

"I was the maid and caretaker for you the last few weeks" Luisa said.

Peter still looked confused. Nathan could tell that soon Peter would start freaking out. Nathan made sure that Peter was looking at him before he asked, "What was the last thing that you remember?"

Peter looked to the ground while he spoke. "Uh...I remember the fight with Sylar. And...and Hiro stabbing Sylar..."

"Oh my God!" Luisa shouted. "How terrible!"

"Actually it was a pretty good thing" Peter said, turning to Luisa. He returned his attention to Nathan. "After that...I remember loosing control of the radiation powers and you flying us away into the sky." Peter nodded. "Yeah, you flying us away. That's the last thing I can remember."

Nathan nodded. "Well, right now, it's been about three months since the explosion. Mom has been trying to hunt us down and thanks to the friendly local we were hunted down. But also thanks to the friendly local, we were able to escape. So now she knows what we can do."

"I have a name" Luisa said angrily.

"Okay, but how come I don't remember any of that?" Peter asked.

Nathan paused. He licked his dry lips and removed his eyes from Peter. Then, he looked back into Peter's eyes. "You've been in a coma since you exploded. I found you in an alley asleep and you haven't woken up until now."

Peter nodded, buying the lie. Nathan glanced up at Luisa, whose mouth was open and ready to question Nathan. The look in his eyes, though, shut her up. Peter looked up at Nathan. "Does anyone know we're here?"

Nathan nodded. "Yes. I sent Mohinder a letter."

Peter giggled. Nathan gave him a confused look. Peter smiled at his brother. "Oh, uh. When you said Mohinder I thought of the old cartoons of Native Americans and that funny noise they always made." Nathan gave him a strange look. Peter coughed and looked away. He stood up. "Well, uh, now that we're all awake, what do we do now?"

Nathan stood as well. He looked to the east. The sun is coming up. We should probably get moving now. Who knows where the next town is?"

Luisa looked behind her, where light blue light was eating at darkness. She turned back to Nathan. "We've been heading east?"

Nathan nodded. "Yeah. Or at least we are now."

"Well, there's another village, a larger one, about two or three hundred miles north-east of my village. If we fly, we could get there before the sun has risen." Luisa thought a moment. "Actually, it'd be better if we went there since it's a way station with a bus stop that gets you to the next town that has a train that goes to _Ciudad de México_."

Peter fisted his hand. "That sounds like a great idea Luisa!"

Luisa smiled. "Aw. You're so kind Peter!" Luisa cast Nathan a stare. "Unlike other men I know."

Nathan glared at Luisa. "Let's just go" he said.

Luisa wrapped her arms around Peter. "I'm flying with Peter!" she announced. Peter smiled at Nathan. "That's fine with me."

Nathan shook his head. "Whatever."

* * *

_Yay! Peter's regained some of his memories. And Nathan proves himself as a liar! Yay! You are good at guessing, Polly. (big smile)_

_Well, I gotta either sleep or start Harry Potter. Later and review. Oh! And next chapter is the last one. Yay! I'm gonna make the by-season-two deadline! HAHA!_


	5. Chapter 5

_Hello everybody! It's A.C. with her last chapter of _In Mexico_. I just want to thank everyone who's reviewed so far and have inspired me further with their kind words of praise. This is for all of you and I hope you like it._

**ac-the-brain-supreme does not own Heroes. If she did, she would totally abolish the kind of creepy Paire pairing.**

* * *

The sun seemed so hot now that it was at it's pinnacle. Woman pulled their children closer as a trio walked through town. Vendors and other men eyed suspiciously the two white men and the pretty Mexican that walked comfortably between them, a gorgeous rainbow stone sitting gently on her breasts. They walked up to the sign with the bus schedule. The women moved along, the children still staring. The vendors still stared, eyes lusty, but only because they were possibly looking at those who would buy their wares.

Luisa turned to the two men she was with. "We need sixty Pesos each."

"Sixty Pesos!" Nathan exclaimed. He caught himself, leaning closer and quieting. "Sixty...that's insane!"

"Yeah, what is that in American dollars? Eighty? Ninety?" Peter asked.

"The bus isn't that expensive. It's the bus and the train we need to take to get to the airport in the capital that's going to make it so expensive. Then there are the plane tickets, which will be astronomical." Luisa stopped, watching closely the faces of her two companions. "We can get to the city with the train, but after that we're going to be in some trouble."

Nathan looked at the sign. "We can figure out what happens after we get to the next town. I don't mind having to spend more time here. As long as we can keep away from Mom and her men."

Peter nodded. Luisa looked to the west. She stared off in that direction for a few minutes. She felt someone touch her shoulder. She turned to Peter. He was giving her that heart-melting smile. Luisa blushed. "Is something wrong?" Luisa shook her head. Lying was easier without words.

The three heard the bus before they saw it. The old motor that barely kept it moving made a noise that rivaled a jet starting. Nathan grit his teeth. He looked down the invisible road towards a tan dust cloud that was slowly growing in size. He looked to Luisa. She gave him a hard look. Nathan looked back down, this time his eyes were joined by several others, including Peter and Luisa. Slowly, the gleam of the white top of the bus was intensifying. A hue of cerulean blue was also becoming visible. In a few minutes, the reflection of the sun became too much and all those looking turned away. In another ten minutes, the rusty old bus, probably no younger than fifty years old, hunkered up to the shaded port. The blue paint on the bottom was peeling off, showing the steely body. The window panes were non-existant and ten people were already on the bus, not including the bus driver who was easily thirty years older than the bus.

Nathan took out his wallet. "The bus fare?"

"Six Pesos for the three of us" Luisa said.

Nathan nodded. He allotted the money. Many vendors watching felt their hearts sob for the money. Nathan lead his merry band to the rickety bus. He got on first, making his way past the lazy, curious stares to the back of the bus. Peter climbed on after him, following his footsteps. Luisa froze at the door to the bus. She stared up at the driver. He stared back at her, his deep brown eyes sunken into the many wrinkles that age and the sun had brought him. "_Estás consiguiendo encendido_?"

Luisa looked west a moment, then back up at the driver. She nodded. She stepped up into the bus and walked back to her new friends, unable to keep her tears from her. She sat next to Peter. The older man settled his arm around Luisa's shoulders, pulling her closer to him. "I'm really not going to see my family again, am I?" Luisa asked.

Peter shrugged. "You never know. For all you know, by this time next year, you could be riding this bus back to this town, your parents crying as they see you step off the bus."

Luisa gave a small chuckle. "I hope you're right." Luisa eased her body into the mold of Peter's and closed her eyes.

**In Mexico**

Mohinder stepped out of the bathroom, pulling on his shirt so that what remaining water from his shower didn't soak through. He looked over to the little girl on the bed and the atlas opened in front of her. Molly acknowledged her guardian, then turned back to the atlas, a frown on her face. Mohinder walked over and sat next to Molly. Her face was pale and drawn and her eyes were rimmed with red. Mohinder wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "What's wrong, Molly?" He laid a hand on her head. "Are you feeling bad?"

Molly shook her head. She laid against Mohinder. "Tired?" he guessed. Molly shook her head again. Mohinder looked at the map. It was opened to New York. "Oh" Mohinder said. "Were you looking for Mr. Parkman?" Molly was silent. Mohinder didn't know how to translate this as. As he puzzled, he held her closer.

"I looked for those men again." Molly looked up. "They're really close."

Mohinder looked to the atlas, then back to Molly. "How close and how long ago?"

"Right after you got into the shower." Molly flipped open the atlas to the page of the city they were in. "They were right outside this city then." Molly pulled out her pin from before. She closed her eyes and, in a few minutes and after a few page turns, she stuck it back in. This time, it was in the middle of a street. "Now they're there."

"That's not far from where we are."

Molly smiled at the Indian man. "Wanta go meet them?"

**In Mexico**

The idea that they would have to sell some of their belongings had always been on the minds of Luisa, Nathan, and Peter. But now, standing in front of the pawn shop door, it seemed even more real. More than just an shared idea. Nathan was the first to enter, followed by Peter, then Luisa. The shop owner glanced at them briefly, then returned to the book he had been reading. He looked up again when Nathan approached him. "Can I help you?"

Nathan took off his watch. "Yes. How much can I get for this?"

"You're watch?" Peter asked. Nathan turned to him and nodded. "But Dad gave that to you for your wedding."

Luisa stepped up. She pulled the watch from the counter. "You can't pawn a wedding gift!"

Nathan pulled the watch from her. "Yes I can. It's my watch, therefore I can do whatever I want with it!"

Luisa glared at him. "But a wedding gift is special. It has sentimental value! Besides, wouldn't the person who gave it to you feel insulted?"

Nathan shrugged. "My father's dead."

Luisa pouted at him. She reached behind her head and took off the necklace she had been wearing. The first time since she got it. She laid it on the counter. "How much would we get for this?"

"You're pawning your necklace?" Peter asked.

Nathan took it off the counter. "No. I got this for you."

"You did?" Peter sounded incredulous. "Wow. That's uncharacteristically generous of you."

Nathan gave his brother a look. "Thank you, Peter" he said sarcastically. He turned back to Luisa. "Keep it."

"It's my necklace, I can do anything I want with it" Luisa quoted. She looked at Nathan's watch. "Though, if you don't sell your watch, I don't sell my necklace."

"That doesn't help our predicament!" Nathan snapped. Peter took a step back. Luisa turned away from the older man. She held her nose in the air, defiant. She said something in Spanish. Peter, who had actually failed that course, didn't understand but Nathan could and started speaking loudly to Luisa. Peter rubbed the bridge of his nose. He looked at the two supposed adults--though, he didn't know Luisa's real age--bicker at each other like children. He turned away from them.

"I'll be outside" he told them. But his words fell on deaf ears.

Peter stepped back out into the sunshine, finding himself a spot on the wall to lean against. He looked up at the sky. Nathan had explained as much as he could to him about what had happened. Obviously, they'd both survived the explosion. And apparently, Peter had been unconscious when Nathan found him. An unconsciousness that lasted until a few hours ago. But, somehow, that didn't seem right. Peter didn't read Nathan's mind, but he didn't need to. Siblings had a sixth sense about each other. Though, thanks to spending time with so many special people, Peter had a sixth sense about most everything.

Peter bowed his head and let a soft moan out. He held his forehead. All of a sudden, when thinking about his powers and the people he'd met, Peter got a seriously painful headache. He grit his teeth and scrunched up his face. He rubbed his temples, breathing deeply as the pain mounted.

Behind his eyelids, Peter saw blurry movements and colors. He could almost see someone wearing pink and brown turn abruptly to him. The pain moved abruptly to the right side of his face. Peter touched that area, but drew his hand back. He looked to the nearby drug store and hurried to look into one of its windows. His eyes grew in wonder and shock. He touched the right side of his face again, this time more lightly. There was a purple bruise, curiously shaped like someone's hand, that spanned all of his right cheek. Peter blinked at his reflection. "How did I not notice that?" Quickly, and with little thought, the bruise dissappeared, leaving nothing but a memory.

Peter also noticed something else in the reflection on the pane of glass. He turned around, a smile on his face. He ran into the street, waving his arm in the air. "Mohin--" Peter would have finished shouting the man's name, but a truck stopped him. Peter fell on the ground, feeling his entire left arm break into a million pieces as well as a little internal bleeding. But just as quickly as he felt his body break, he felt it repair itself. A few people came to surround Peter, one of them being the man he had been calling to.

"Are you okay, Peter?" Mohinder asked. There was a little girl by his side, staring with wide eyes that held her amazement.

Peter got on his knees. "Yeah. I'm fine." Mohinder helped Peter to his feet. Peter looked at the stunned truck driver. Peter waved at the man. "I'm good!" Peter leaned on Mohinder, confusing the Indian. "There are too many people for me to be perfectly fine. Play along" Peter whispered. Mohinder obeyed. He wrapped Peter's arm around his shoulders and held onto Peter's side. Peter hopped along, the little girl still following the two men like a little puppy.

"What are you doing here?" Peter asked once he and the others were on the sidewalk.

Mohinder sat Peter on the ground, stretching his supposedly hurt leg out. "Nathan sent me a letter telling me about what had happened after the explosion. He told me he needed my help with something."

Peter gestured to the pawn shop. "He's in there fighting with a girl about selling something."

At that moment, Luisa came out of the shop, holding both necklace and watch. "Fine, if that's how you want to talk to me, we're not selling either one!"

Nathan stormed after Luisa. "Give me my watch you little b--" Nathan saw Mohinder, Peter, and Molly. Molly blinked owlishly at the older man before smiling at him. Mohinder stood up and stepped over Peter, who stood up after Mohinder reached Nathan. "Mohinder" Nathan said, reaching his hand out to shake the Indian man's. "It's good to see you again."

"It's good to see you alive" Mohinder says, a little smile breaking out before Mohinder took back control of his face. He looked over to Luisa. "Who is this?"

Luisa, struck dumb by another unbelieveably handsome man, didn't even open her mouth. She knew no words would come out. Why bother making herself seem like a freak?

Nathan stretched an arm out, gesturing to Luisa. "This is Luisa. I met her a few weeks ago while hiding and she found out about us, so she came along in our escape."

Mohinder nodded. He held his hand out. "Hello Miss Luisa. My name is Mohinder Suresh. I'm a friend of the Petrellis."

Luisa smiled stupidly. "Uh-huh" she said. She reached out and shook his hand, noticing how soft his skin was. Which was why Luisa wouldn't stop shaking his hand.

After Mohinder pried his hand from Luisa's, he turned back to Nathan. "I see you and your brother are doing well."

Nathan nodded. "Yeah." He rubbed his forehead. "Unfortuantely, my mother and her people know we're in the country. Is there anywhere we can go that we can be a little more private?"

Mohinder nodded. "Yes, actually. Molly and I have a hotel room not far from here. We can go there."

Nathan turned to his two companions. He turned back to Mohinder. "That's fine."

**In Mexico**

Luisa and Molly were sitting on a bench, having some ice cream. Luisa had suggested taking Molly out for a little while while the men spoke to each other about what to do. Mohinder had agreed and told them to be back before dark. Luisa was glad, both to get out of the room, but to also get out and do something fun and silly.

Luisa ate the rest of her cone, licking the vanilla ice cream from her fingers. Molly was almost done hers. Luisa smiled at the littler girl. She leaned back and angled her face to the sky. "So, Molly, do you have a special power like Peter and Nathan?"

Molly nodded. "Mm-hmm. I can think of a person and know where they are. That's how me and Mohinder found you guys."

Luisa gave a small laugh. "I guess that ability is probably a really useful one."

Molly nodded. "It is." Molly ate the rest of her ice cream cone.

"Can you find anyone on Earth?" Luisa asked.

Molly became quiet. "I _can_, but there are two people I _won't_ look for."

"Who are they?" Luisa asked.

"Well, there's this one person who can see me whenever I think about them. And the other one is the Boogeyman." Molly pauses a moment. She looks up to Luisa. "I only look for the Boogeyman when I'm asked. When it's important."

"Who's the Boogeyman?"

Molly shivered. "The Boogeyman is a horrible man. Mohinder and his friends call him by another name: Sylar." Luisa nodded. Something in her mind clicked. Peter mentioned the name Sylar out in the desert when he was telling Nathan what he remembered. That someone named Hiro had stabbed Sylar and that it'd been a good thing. Luisa looked at the ground. It was wrong to say that anything bad that happened to a person was good or deserved, but for a little girl to be truly terrified of him, that must mean that he must've done something that deserved hatred.

Luisa got off the bench. "We should get going. The sun will set pretty soon."

Molly looked up at the sky. She smiled at Luisa and nodded. Molly jumped off the bench, took Luisa's hand, and started to walk with her back to the hotel room.

"What do you think they decided to do?" Molly asked.

Luisa shrugged. "I don't know. I know Peter and Nathan want to move somewhere else, to try and stay away from the people who are after them. But, do you want to know what I want to do?"

"What?"

Luisa squeezed Molly's hand. "I want to go to America. I want to see the Hollywood sign and live so close to the famous people that when I walk down the streets, I can see them in their most natural of states." Luisa blushed.

Molly luaghed. "Lots of people want to do that. Not many can, though."

Luisa punched the sky. "Then I'll be one of the ones who can!"

Molly laughed at Luisa and her ambitiousness.

**In Mexico**

When the girls returned to the hotel room, the men were moving with hurry and the sense of purpose. Luisa and Molly were worried that they would be trodden upon if they went any further into the room so, in the safety of the tiny hall immediately in front of the door, Luisa asked, "What's going on?"

Peter stopped to tell them, "We're going to America. First thing tomorrow morning."

**In Mexico**

Everyone got their sleep on the train to Mexico City. Well, four out of the five. Nathan kept himself awake with the hundreds of thoughts that were moving through his head. What were they going to do once back in America? Confront his mother? Find another place to hide. Nathan closed his eyes. No, there was no more need to hide. Peter was back to normal, he could take care of himself again. The thought of that made Nathan's thoughts slow a little. Slowed by relief, slowed by joy, and slowed by a little bit of sorrow. No matter how hard and heart-breaking it was to see Peter act like he did, Nathan had to admit that he had liked it. He liked being the center of his brother's attention again; the one person he looked up to and admired. Nathan wanted that again.

"But you never lost it."

Nathan looked at the person next to him. Peter, with one eye open, was looking up at him. "Pete?"

"I can't believe you lied to me" Peter said. He didn't sound angry, though.

"I...I'm sorry."

Peter shrugged. "It's okay. I think I can see how you would do that. I but still, four months of my life are gone. It'd be nice to know why. It'd be nice to know the real reason why." Peter closed the open eye. "But back to that admiration thing you were worried about. Just because I'm not a little kid again doesn't mean I don't admire you anymore."

Peter sighed. "Back when I was ten, you were my idol, my ultimate hero. You were the one that I wanted to grow up into: a successful, popular, and handsome young man. But that was when I was ten and couldn't see anything but the black and white in the world. The more I grew, the more I saw the grey and realized that you weren't the perfect older brother I had thought you to be." Peter opened his eye again. "I still admire you, Nathan. Because no matter what you do in life, you try to do it for the good of the world."

Nathan smiled. He messed up Peter's hair, much to the shagrin of the younger Petrelli brother. Peter swatted at his brother's hand, trying to get it to go away and leave his hair alone.

**In Mexico**

Luisa was still sleepy when the group she was with was sitting in the chairs at the terminal. She kept nodding off, then startling herself awake, thinking that she had slept through take-off. But Molly was still asleep in her lap, Mohinder was still typing away at his computer, Nathan was still looking exhausted from the lack of sleep he'd gotten, and Peter was still drinking the water or eating the doughnut he had bought at one of the way-too-expensive shops in their part of the terminal.

At least until the tenth time she fell asleep then woke up.

"Where's Peter?" she asked to no one in particular the one time he wasn't there.

"Bathroom" Nathan responded, covering his eyes and sounding like he didn't want to hear anything.

Luisa accepted the answer and returned to her cycle of falling asleep and waking up.

**In Mexico**

Peter stepped out of the stall. He walked up to the sink and turned on a faucet, wetting his hands before covering them with soap. He heard the door open and someone walk in, but gave it no thought. Though, he probably should have. Because when he looked up and into the mirror, he didn't even get a chance to see the other's face before something hit him and the world went black.

**In Mexico**

"All boarding, flight 567 to Phoenix, Arizona. All boarding."

Luisa and Mohinder watched with worry and anxiety as Nathan walked back to them, looking angry. They could only imagine what he had--or hadn't--found. Nathan didn't even have to tell them what was wrong. They knew instinctively from the shaking hand that ran through the politician's short brown hair and the new worry lines that grew in the last half hour.

"What do we do now?" Mohinder asked.

Nathan looked out the window, at the Boeing plane that was supposed to have taken him, his brother, and his friends to America. Nathan opened his mouth and said, "You guys are getting on that plane. I'm going to stay here and look for Peter."

"You can't stay here!" Luisa stated immediately.

"Yes I can" Nathan said sternly. "And I will." He looked to Mohinder. "I swore to myself that I would not leave this country without Peter back to his normal self when it was safe. I can not leave this terminal without knowing that my brother is safe and sound and with people that have his best intentions at heart."

Mohinder sighed. He reached into his pocket and took out two tickets. He handed them to Nathan. "In case you get back in time." Nathan nodded and took the tickets, sliding them into his back pocket.

Luisa stared at Nathan a moment. She reached behind her neck, feeling for the clasp on her necklace. Once undone, she held it out to Nathan. Nathan looked at it, curious. "In case you need the money for the flight to the United States."

Nathan took the necklace, feeling the stone with the pad of his thumb. "Like hell I'm selling this" he said, holding it in his fist.

"Then if you want to be stubborn like that," Luisa said, almost choking on her tears, "you have to promise me that you'll visit me and return the necklace."

Nathan nodded. "I promise." Nathan turned to Mohinder. "Keep an eye out for me."

Mohinder nodded. "I will."

Luisa squeezed her hands together as she watched Nathan turn and walk away from her. Mohinder placed a hand on her shoulder and whispered to her, "Come on, or we'll miss the plane." Luisa gave a tiny nod and let herself be led away.

* * *

_And that's it...Nathan and Peter stay behind, Mohinder and Luisa go to America...but fear not! For when there are reviews, there is a sequel! Watch out during the first hiatus, for that is when Luisa makes her grand return! Yes, there are sequels in mind. Unfortunately, we have to wait and see where the second season is going before any plot details are made._

_Anyway, review and look out for my next masterpiece! (sparkly eyes)_

**--ac-the-brain-supreme**


End file.
